Chapter 51800's

Spanish Economic Reform- Sugar Industry

Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade was closed in 1815 due to low profitability. At the turn of century , sugar turned from being a luxury in Europe into a necessity . There was high demand for sugar prompting Spain to execute economic reforms by opening sugar industry to the world market and support the sugarcane farming in Philippines . Port of Manila opened to foreign trade, in 1837, was followed by a period of rising industry and prosperity. On Iloilo , it exported leaf tobacco, sugar, sapan or dyewood (an industry long ago ruined), hemp ( Lanot), and hides.This motivated large scale near-enslavement by Ilongo Sugar Barons in Negros Occidental.

The advent of Steam-Ships- "saved the day"

Industrial Revolution hits American and Europe . Spain bought steam-propelled ships from Great Britain. As a result , The export increase exponentially because steam ships are more speedy than sail-ships and Spanish easily captured pirates in the waters of Negros Occidental . International Seaport opened in Iloilo , it forged widespread construction of beautiful concrete churches and Mansions in Iloilo . Increasing wealth allowed middle-class Meztizo parents to send their sons to universities both at home and abroad . Calle Real was vitalized as major port next to Manila that sell sugar to Europe Australia and America.

A Dangerous Land turned oportunity for Ilongos

The Spanish government neglect of Negros Occidental made habitation in the area dangerous for the indigenous population and lacking in social and physical amenities for foreign colonials . Most of towns in Negros has no concrete church because they cannot afford to construct one. There’s also hostilities with the mountain folk , the ambaks and mundos. An apocrypha writings says ,

“As far as could be determined, the earliest people in these localities were the semisavage Mondos and Ambaks. Traders in sailboats from Panay used to land at [Barrio] Talisay to replenish their food and water supply and brought back to their home island (Panay) stories of the potentialities of fishing and farming in the land they had visited. Slowly but steadily Malay settlers from Panay came and drove the Mondos and Ambaks to the interior”

Brutal Life in Negros OccidentalLife in western Negros remained brutish and insecure. Local inhabitants are often defenceless from Moro pirates who plundered the coastal settlements in search of goods and slaves usually destroying what they could not carry away. Even the Spanish governor of Negros was held captive in 1771 .Potentiating their poverty.

Pirates inflict misery in Negros OccidentalIn 1829, Moros captured a hundred or so natives from Bacolod, Talisay, and Silay as slaves. When Spain opened the Sugar Commerse to the world. Negros received attention from Spanish Government, fortifying defense to protect the labourers in Sugarcane Plantation through Governors Luis Villasis (1833-40) and José Saenz y Vizmanos(1840-48) finally eliminated until the time of Governor Emilio Saravia that in 1857 , he defeated them in the waters off Silay . Shortly after this engagement, the government stationed two steam gunboats to patrol the Guimaras Strait, discouraging further pirate depredations.

Once Pirates cleared- Hacienderos inOnce the Pirates has been cleared. Larged numbers of hacienderos of Jaro and Molo Iloilo begun to purchase vast lands from Binalbagan , to Bago to up to Silay and Cadiz converting these deep jungle into sugarlandia. It was cheap due to its value. From 35,007 population in 1845 it soared 5 times fold in 1886 to 154 , 408.

Arrival of Chinese , British and Swiss in Iloilo for CommerceIn 1834 the Spanish allowed both non-Spanish Westerners and Chinese immigrants to settle anywhere in the islands. Chinese arrived in Iloilo were Lopez , Lacson and Locsin. They interbred with the locals and adopted Hiligaynon Dialect. These Chinese descent invested their money to purchase several lands in Negros . It was lucrative business . At span of a decade , they became prosperous and begun to build mansions in Iloilo. On the other island , an extreme exploitation of poor peasants goes on to decades and century.

Ilongo founded the town of Eustacio Lopez ( Silay)

Eustacio Lopez of Jaro , his famous first cousin is Graciano Lopez Jaena ,( Fathers are Brother Fermin and Placido respectively ), owned 18 Hacienda in Silay , founded Hacienda Dalinson in Kabankalan Norte and changed it into his name , E. Lopez , because he owned 99% of the town. It is here where Don Eustacio hide his first cousin Graciano Lopez due to fear of Spanish reprisal of his famous anti-friar propaganda“ Fray Botod’. Don Eustacio offered money and send his close cousin to Spain . Another Brother of Fermin is Claudio Lopez , honorary associate consul of Portugal .Don Bernardino Jalandoni & Dona Ysabel Lopez Ledesma of Jaro settled in Silay , Negros Occidental. Jose Ledesma and his wife Magdalena Ledesma followed.

Ilongo founded a new town , Pulupandan

Vicenta Yanzon Locsin from Molo with his husband , Don Agustin Montilla petitioned the Spanish Governor for official recognition of his new agricultural settlement (estancia ) at the visita at Pulupandan, town of Bago , he assured the government that he could adequately protect his laborers from the Moros who stopped at the nearby island of Inampulugan , with 118 laborers rice, coconuts, cotton, abaca, maize, and mongo beans. Population grew that mantilla ask to erect a chapel because its tiresome for his 800 villagers to go to Bago to hear mass on Sunday. Isabela (Haciendas Bonifacio, Josefa, and Espana). Their children are Lina, Julian, Bonifacio, Eustaquia, Domingo, Josefa, Petronila, and Juana.Founded 1898

Ilongos building Bago

1891 - Juan Araneta of Molo , after loosing his Hacienda in Bago. He founded Hacienda Fermina in Dinapalan and Ma-ao , Bago . He has a very larged family with 25 Children. The house of General Juan Araneta in Bago City was built towards the end of the 19th century and stands today as the Araneta Museum.Bago was founded as townIlongos founded Pontevedra.

Basilio Lopez and Sabina Jalandoni purchased vast lands in Hacienda Silay-Saravia , their child Eulogia acquired 2 haciendas in Victorias of 125 hectares , their son Eugenio acquired 535 hectares in Casalagan , Puntevedra, half of it given to his son Don Benito , became a Governor of Iloilo.

Ilongos Building Talisay

1840 - Lucio Lacson y Petronila and Clara Ledesma of Iloilo , from Molo , acquired a vast estates in Talisay cultivated it for sugar plantation. He became the second richest planters in Negros. He built the beautiful Mansion in Molo . His child is Mariano Lacson y Ledesma had built Mansion . Another one of their 7 children , Aniceto Lacson y Ledesma of Molo and married to Rosario Araneta with 11 children operated the vast hacienda Matabang in Talisay his second wife, Magdalena Torres, he had 10 children. He becomes one of the richest man in Negros and lead the land from liberty from the Spanish Regime and became its president . It was founded as town 1840-1850

Ilongos in Sagay

Eugenio Lopez y Jalandoni from Jaro had a child , Don Gil Lopez ( born 1870) married Dona Albin Hofileña who at the time in the late 1890 was a pen-pal of the countrys hero, Graciano Lopez Jaena. During the revolution of 1898, it was Don Gil Lopez who led the revolutionary forces from the Sagay-Cadiz area. He is famous violinist. Two of Albina aunt had married two Lopez Brother , Elena Hofilena married Vicente Lopez and Presentacion Hofilena married Benito Lopez they are the parents of tycoon Eugenio Lopez and former Vice-President Fernando LopezIlongo founded a new town of ManaplaIn 1890 , Catalino and Fortunato Valderrama, sons of a Chinese immigrant convert and his Ilongo wife, left their home in Molo in Iloilo at a youthful age, when the cloth business that had sustained their parents no longer produced profits. He oversaw the clearing of some 300 hectares of frontier in Cadiz then opening up to settlement and established the place called Manapla. During the following decade his younger brother established Hacienda Nazareth on 400 hectares in newly. Founded 1886-1898

Ilongos of Binalbagan & Isabela (MoisesPadilla included)

Don Ignacio Lacson-Arroyo ( left) was a cabeza de barangay of Molo , Iloilo . He was the son of Pedro Arroyo of Molo and Apolonia Lacson . He owned vast hacienda in Isabela , Hinigaran and La Castellana. His son Mariano became Governor of Iloilo in 1928 , his daughter founded the Dominican Sisters of the Most Holy Rosary in Molo , his son Jose Maria became senator in 1919 , he had married Jesusa Araneta-Lacson.

Agapito Villavicencio Montero, a native of Mandurriao, Iloilo, was born on August 18, 1855 and at the tender age of 18 years, Maximiana Mesa Abeto settled in Binalbagan. the couple acquired properties in Binalbagan which is now known as Hacienda Loreto and Hacienda Alimango. 14 children, many of whom died in their infancy and young adulthood. But nine children survived 8 of who married. Their descendants becomes prominent people of Himamaylan , Binalbagan and Isabela after the World War 2. Some Yulos settled in Binalbagan.1850-1886 founding years as a town

Ilongos of Hinigaran and Himamaylan

Hinigaran were the families of Yulo , Mongcal, Dano-og, Curio, Sarrosa, David, Pido, Pabalinas, Saril Luntayao and Grijaldo. They came mostly from Miaga-ao and Guimbals towns in Iloilo Province. The demand for sugar by foreign firms stirred the interest of the people of Panay to acquire more lands for cultivation of sugar. The elite of Molo chose Hinigaran as the place for their haciendas. The Yulo’s of Hinigaran Binalbagan produced Mariano Yulo a former Senator from 1928 to 1931. Gatuslao from Guimbal settled in Himamaylan and begun to clear the vast jungle and converted it to sugarcane producing estates. The Yulo’s of Hinigaran Binalbagan produced Mariano Yulo a former Senator from 1928 to 1931

Ilongo founded a new town La Carlota

Don Felix Locsin-Melitante Araneta born in March 18, 1840 Molo, Iloilo, as one of the pioneer hacienderos of Negros Occidental. He acquired a huge estate in Mangkas . He named it “Hacienda Paz”after his wife Paz Ditching Soriano from Molo also. Thier fifth child , Marciano S. Araneta ,( left) He led the revolutionary that attacked the headquarters of the Spanish , their child in Surgeon Araneta Molo leads comite in Iloilo and child in Manila activr with Aguinaldo. 1850-1886 Founded as townRodrigo Araneta Montinola of Jaro , Iloilo owned Hacienda Estela after his daughter with Felisa Jalandoni . They have built a house in Jaro called RAM.

Doña Matilde Jalandoni Montinola

Isabel Araneta , Daughter of Don Felix Araneta married Roque Lacson Sanson having a son named Alfredo Araneta Sanson . Alfredo married Dona Matilde Jalandoni Montinola of Jaro and built a Mansion in Jaro called Sanson y Montinola Antillan House.The house is given to his their son Gregorio Montinola Sanson with her wife Marilou Lorca Tirol of Jaro.

1818 - Molo seperated and became a town

1818 - When nearby Arevalo became the capital of the alcaldia de Ylong-ylong (Province of Iloilo) Molo was its mere suburb , Capital was transferred to Iloilo until 1818 when it became a pueblo. Casa real (municipal hall) was constructed and is still standing beside the Molo church. During the American regime, it became a mere part of the town of Iloilo in 1903 and in 1937 became a district of the City of Iloilo. Prominent Families like Lacson , Locsin and Aranet emerged in this area. Sugar brought prosperity to these families that enable to send their children in Manila for education and instrumental in uprising both in Iloilo and Negros Occidental.1831 - The church of Molo was constructed under the the office of Rev. Fr. Pablo Montano as parish priest. It was completed during the time of Rev. Fr. Agapito Buenaflor. It is said to be one of the most beautiful churches in Western Visayas.

A total of 24 towns were established in Province of Iloilo by 1834 after 100 years from 1874.

Jaro prospered

The vast sugar plantations and Industry brougth prosperity to many families of Jaro such as Jalandoni , Lopez , Ledesma , Javelona and Montinola . With sufficient profits , the Spanish Government started building of Schools and Catedral in Jaro. It became the the center of faith in Iloilo and ecclesiastical instruction. Several families around Iloilo now have access to education.
Other families were able to send their children to Manila to study in Letran and
Santo Thomas and even in Spain.

1840- Gabriel Lafond de Lurcy a French drew this picture of Jaro society in his book

“ Haro is much bigger in size than Iloilo; it is a rich town, of mestizos who own great fortunes… the people of Haro are more civilized than those of the other neighboring towns (Molo and Iloilo). The color of their skin is whiter, consequence of a great mixture of European blood; and Spanish is spoken better there than in any place in the colony, the Capital excepted; the women are very beautiful and I can give assurance of this, having had the pleasure of being amongst them, that they have grace and figure and the features, which would call attention even in Europe. They show taste in their dress, which is rich and elegant and, like all mestizas, they show a lot of spirit.”Source: Quinze Ans de Voyage Autor de Monde Vol. II ( 1840)

Britishman offered Loan and technology

1855 - The production of sugars in Negros Occidental increased tremendously. It prompted the Spanish government to open the port of Iloilo to International trade without passing Manila.Nicholas Loney, a British merchant, settled in Iloilo on the following year bringing machineries and european technology that improvs yield, and improved the quality of Iloilo sugar to world-market standards. Many families of Jaro and Molo became prospered and built historic mansions. During that time, sugar was already being grown sporadically throughout Panay but not on a vast, plantation-type scale. In 1855, before Loney arrived in Iloilo City, Panay produced an average of only 750 tons of sugar a year. By 1860, five years after he arrived in Iloilo City, Philippine sugar exports rose tenfold to 7,500 tons! Loney established his own export-import company in 1860 and with his brother Robert had cquired a hacienda on Negros a year later.

"I could mention the names of half a dozen real-estate owners in Yloilo Province who, having started with nothing, somehow found themselves possessing comparatively large fortunes at the time of the liquidation."

1858 - Sir John Bowring, a former British governor of Hong Kong, visiting Iloilo in 1858, was so impressed by what he saw, that he wrote in his book, A Visit to the Philippines (1859), the following:

"The province is not only one of the most numerously peopled, it is perhaps the most productive in agricultural and most active in manufacturing, industry and among the best instructed of the Philippines. It has extensive and cultivated plains and its roads are among the best seen in the archipelago.”

A Custom-house was established and port opened in Zamboanga (Mindanao Is.) for direct communication with abroad in 1831; those of Sual (Pangasinán) and Yloilo (Panay Is.) in 1855, and that of Cebú in 1863 Source: John Foreham The Philippine Islands Septmber 1905 Third Edition

Ilongo Families migrated to Negros Occidental and their extinction in Iloilo Inspired by good profits, several Ilongo families who have capital decided to move to Negros Occidental. Among the prominent families at the head of the Ilonggo migration to Negros in the 19th century were the Bellezas, Consings, Conlus, De la Ramas, Lacsons, Lazaros, Locsins, Magalonas, Mellizas and Montelibanos of Molo; the Benedictos, Gamboas, Hernaezes, Hilados, Hofilenas, Jaymes, Jisons, Ledesmas, Lopezes, and Severinos of Jaro; the Belmontes, Cuaycongs and Mondragons of Mandurriao; and the Navals and Vitos of Capiz (Varona 1938). These families generally settled in the central and northern sections of the western side of Negros.The earliest recorded direct foreign exportation from Iloilo port took place when the Brigantine, aPortuguese ship, loaded some 500 piculs of sibucao (dye wood) for the colony of Macau

Robustiano Echaúz wrote in his published book in 1894 entitled “Apuntes de la Isla de Negros” or “Sketches of the Island of Negros”:

“Filipinos from Jaro and Molo came to Negros. Simeon Ledesma and Lucio Lacson settled in Minuluan where they laid out the boundaries of their properties. Ledesma and Cornelio Hilado created their wonderful Hacienda Bagacay. Lacson built the big and beautiful Hacienda Matabang. Haciendas at Binonga and many others were also established”. (Donn V. Hart in 1978)

Custum House in Iloilo

In order to evade the payment of the Manila Port Works Tax , for which no value was given, large quantities of piece-goods for Manila were shipped from Europe to Yloilo, passed through the Custom-house there and re-shipped in inter-island steamers to Manila. In 1890 some two-thirds of the Yloilo foreign imports were for re-shipment.

Between Yloilo and the adjoining Province of Antique, the District of Concepcion and the Islands of Negros and Cebú, there were some half-dozen small steamers, belonging to Filipinos and Spaniards, running regularly with passengers and merchandise, whilst in the sugar-producing season—from January to May—they were fully freighted with cargoes of this staple article.

The carrying-trade in sailing craft between the Islands was chiefly in the hands of natives and half-castes. There were also a few Spanish sailing-ship owners, and in the Port of Yloilo a few schooners (called lorchas), loading from 40 to 100 tons of sugar, were the property of foreigners, under the nominal ownership of Spanish subjects, for the reasons mentioned in the preceding page.

1855- Iloilo International Port opened

" In his early dealings, Loney took cash loans from the prominent American firm of Russell, Sturgis and Company, which put up its own branch at Iloilo in 1863. Subsequently, the other American merchant house in the Philippines, Peele, Hubbell and Company, and such British firms as Smith, Bell and Company and Warner, Barnes and Company entered the sugar business, encouraging the growth of the industry on Negros.Together these houses dominated foreign export of sugar from Iloilo and became the chief suppliers of imported goods and machinery, as well as a source of credit to Negros planters. Iloilo opened to international commerce in 1855, making it possible for exporters to bypass Manila as a transshipment point and thus to reduce shipping costs. By the mid-1860s Iloilo became the chief port for Negros mat, a position it held throughout the remainder of the period."It was such a noisy busy streeet of port of Iloilo which later called Mulle Loney to honor the British who contribute extensively for Sugar Industry boom. With direct commerse to Europe , America and Australia . Upon the discovery of lights , railways and other modern conveniences , Iloilo take advantage of them.